A Top Tenner -- La Mezquita

La Mezquita is one of the most stunning buildings we've ever seen in the world.  To me, it's a top 10 on a list that include Sagrada Familia, Angkor Wat, Alhambra, the Terracota Warriors, Abu Simbel, Bagan, Westminster Abbey, Sainte-Chappelle, Machu Picchu, the Milan Duomo, the Great Wall of China, Mont Saint Michel, and Scrovegni Chapel. 

(I reserve the right to add some building I forgot, but this is a pretty darn good start).

(Editor: There's more than ten on your Top Ten list.  Writer: Who are you, David Letterman?  You've seen them all, which one would you boot off?  Editor: Fair points.  Writer: The readers should know they are not listed in order of favorites, just what came to mind.)

So when we got to the entrance for the 10am opening to have our tickets scanned, and I was told that they weren't the right tickets, I panicked.  It turns out that when you book, the agent of the Mezquita sends you an email with a QR code and instructions that they would send another email with less than 24 hours before the timed ticket with a QR code that actually is the ticket (so there's ZERO point to the QR code -- I'm roasting that company when I get around to it).  

Well, they didn't send the email.  So Carol took over, WhatsApp'd them, and voila, tickets appeared.  I think I would have cried had we not been able to get in.  

(Turns out the same company also handled it for Alhambra, but the email they sent when I ordered those tickets had the QR code that served as our tickets, so they have two totally different procedures for those two UNESCO World Heritage Sites.)

(Have I ever mentioned that "'UNESCO means 'You must go!'"  Editor, both drily and sarcastically: Yup.  At least once or twice.)

Built in the 10th century, it is a former mosque with a 16th century tucked into it.  It's a wonder of the medieval world, and is in incredible shape.  It's absolutely stunning.  Don't rely on the photos -- you have to see it with your own eyes to be moved by it.

I'm not going to wax eloquently about it on and on (Editor: Too late!), but just go and let me know what you think.

The Cathedral is beautiful, but it does not hold a candle to the Mosque.  The Mosque is massive -- more than 20,000 people could pray there at the same time.  

You'll note in the blog post that follows that there is only one photo from the Cathedral (pictures of lion sculptures and live lions are always going to make my blog) because I want the story to be about the beauty of the mosque.

One cool part about the building within a building, behind the cathedral altar, there is Gothic vaulting mixed within Moorish arches -- which does not exist anywhere else in the world.